AIRMEN INJURED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 January 1940, Page 6

AIRMEN INJURED

i BOMBING PLANE TAKES FIRE CRASH LANDING MADE IN FIELD. GALLANT EFFORTS BY PILOT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) BLENHEIM, This Day. Flying-Officer IL F. Smillie, ’Wellington, and Aircraftsman D. C. Lyons, Timarn, were badly injured when a Vick-ers-Vincent 3-seater bomber caught fire in the air, at 7.30 a.m. today, at a. height of approximately 500 feet, and made a crash landing on a farm' about Iwo miles from the Woodbourne Defence Aerodrome. Both men are in the Wairau Hospital, Flying-Officer Smillie suffering from bad burns about the legs, arms and face and from shock, and Aircraftsman Lyons from a broken right thigh and shock. The machine was observed by two motorists on the new Renwick Road flying at slow speed, with flame coming from one of the exhausts. The motorists then noticed flames spreading along the left side of the plane. The pilot made several manoeuvres, including diving to keep the fire away from the cockpits, lost height rapidly and landed, the machine on a paddock, by which time the whole of the plane was on fire. The observer was thrown about 15 yards‘by the impact. Flying-Officer Smillie was able to get. out and walk away from the plane, but had been terribly burned in the meantime. Help was quickly given by motorists and nearby farmers. An ambulance and a| fire unit from- Woodbourne arrived; within five minutes, travelling straight, across country and cutting a way through obstacles such as fences. They were able to extinguish the fire and save some equipment from the wreck. The injured men were immediately removed to hospital. Eyewitnesses pay a high tribute to the airmanship of Flying-Officer Smillie in his endeavouring to keep the flames away from tne cockpit, especially as the height was insufficient for the use of parachutes. An inquiry is being held by the Air Force authorities as to the reason lor the plane catching alight in the air.